It was noted that spatially isolated amorphous zones which had been produced by low-energy low-dose implantation could be re-grown at room temperature by using an electron beam to stimulate the process. The rate at which these zones re-grew depended upon the energy of the electron beam and upon the size of the amorphous zone that was produced by implantation. In these 3 materials, the rate of re-growth decreased as the energy of the electron beam was increased from 25keV, and reached a minimum below the threshold displacement energy. The rate then increased as the energy of the electron beam was increased. Electron beam heating effects were estimated to be insignificant. In order to account for the observations, the roles which were played by defects that migrated to the amorphous/crystalline interfaces, and existed in the amorphous/crystalline interfaces, were considered.

I.M.Robertson, I.Jencic: Journal of Nuclear Materials, 1996, 239, 273-8